Page No 85:

Question 1:

Listed
below are a few character traits of people. Some are positive
qualities, while others are not. Tick mark the ones you feel are
desirable qualities in a person.

Characteristic

Tick
Mark

Characteristic

Tick
Mark

Characteristic

Tick
Mark

Insensitive

High-
headed

Manipulative

Humorous

Egoistic

Patronizing

Naïve

Humble

Submissive

Opportunistic

Foolish

Arrogant

Creative

Original

Conniving

Disapproving

Helpful

Innocent

Commanding

Calculative

Condescending

Benevolent

Crafty

Scheming

Simple

Wise

Rude

Overbearing

Generous

Boastful

Sly

Gentle

Proud

Territorial

Aggressive

Servile

Answer:

The
following are the qualities desirable in a person:

Humorous,

Creative,

Benevolent,

Simple,

Humble,

Helpful,

Gentle,

Generous,

Wise,

Innocent,

Condescending.

Page No 85:

Question 2:

Have
you come across people who are not what they seem to be - like
someone who is extremely friendly and helpful yet you are not very
comfortable with him /her as you feel it is a put-on? Have a class
discussion about such people and why you feel as you do.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, some pointers for discussion have
been provided for your reference.

Yes,
I have come across such persons. They, at first, are and can be
successful in impressing others. However, when the real picture is
revealed, they are subjected to embarrassment and humiliation. They
also lose their popularity and the previously formed impression gets
marred.

Page No 86:

Question 3:

Before
you read the poem complete the word - web with the words that we
associate with a Frog and a Nightingale.

Frog:
Croak, Ugly, etc.

Answer:

Page No 91:

Question 5:

The
following is a summary of the poem but it is jumbled up. Write out
the events in their correct order to form a continuous paragraph.

(a)
As a result, her voice lost its beauty, and the other creatures
stopped coming to hear her sing.

(b)
Soon the nightingale became famous, and creatures from miles around
came to hear her sing.

(c)
All the creatures in the bog cheered and clapped at her beautiful
song.

(d)
He offered to train the nightingale, so that she could sing even more
beautifully.

(e)
So the frog could sing unrivalled in the bog once more.

(f)
The
next night the frog introduced himself.

(g)
The frog charged an admission fee, and earned a lot of money from
these concerts.

(h)
A frog croaked all night in a bog, in an unpleasant voice.

(i)
But
the frog made the nightingale rehearse continuously in the rain.

(j)
One
night a nightingale began to sing in a melodious voice.

(k)
Finally the nightingale burst a vein and died.

Answer:

(h)
A frog croaked all night in a bog, in an unpleasant voice.

(j)
One night a nightingale began to sing in a melodious voice.

(c)
All the creatures in the bog cheered and clapped at her beautiful
song.

(f)
The next night the frog introduced himself.

(d)
He offered to train the nightingale, so that she could sing even more
beautifully.

(b)
Soon the nightingale became famous, and creatures from miles around
came to hear her sing.

(g)
The frog charged an admission fee, and earned a lot of money from
these concerts.

(i)
But the frog made the nightingale rehearse continuously in the rain.

(a)
As a result, her voice lost its beauty, and the other creatures
stopped coming to hear her sing.

(k)
Finally the nightingale burst a vein and died.

(e)
So the frog could sing unrivalled in the bog once more.

Page No 91:

Question 6:

Now
that you have read the poem, add more personality traits to the
word-web of the frog and the nightingale as depicted in the poem.
Then complete the table given below. (Some of the words in the box
below may help you. You may also use the words given in Q. 1.)

Character

Extract

Personality

Nightingale

Sorry
- was that you who spoke?

Polite,
Timorous

Frog

Yes,…
you see,

I'm
the frog who owns this tree

In
this bog I've long been known

For
my splendid baritone.

Nightingale

Did
you…did you like my song?

Frog

Not
too bad - but far too long

The
technique was fine, of course,

But
it lacked a certain force.

Frog

Without
proper training such as I

And
a few others can supply

You'll
remain a mere beginner,

But
with me you'll be a winner.

Nightingale

But
I can't sing in this weather.

Nightingale

…This
is a fairy tale -

And
you're Mozart in disguise

Come
to earth before my eyes.

Frog

Come,
my dear - we'll sing together.

Frog

We
must aim for better billing

You
still owe me sixty shillings.

Frog

Brainless
bird - you're on the stage

Use
your wits and follow fashion.

Puff
your lungs out with your passion.

Frog

…I
tried to teach her,

But
she was a stupid creature.

Dismissive

Nervous

Timid

Presumptuous

Superior

Fawning

Shy

Polite

Meek

Possessive

Dominating

Mercenery

Answer:

Character

Extract

Personality

Nightingale

Sorry
- was that you who spoke?

Polite,
Timorous

Frog

Yes,…
you see,

I'm
the frog who owns this tree

In
this bog I've long been known

For
my splendid baritone.

Territorial,
proud, arrogant, haughty, boastful

Nightingale

Did
you…did you like my song?

Susceptible,
modest

Frog

Not
too bad - but far too long

The
technique was fine, of course,

But
it lacked a certain force.

Dismissive,
patronising

Frog

Without
proper training such as I

And
a few others can supply

You'll
remain a mere beginner,

But
with me you'll be a winner.

Superior,
haughty, boastful

Nightingale

But
I can't sing in this weather.

Timid,
condescending, meek, nervous, polite

Nightingale

…This
is a fairy tale -

And
you're Mozart in disguise

Come
to earth before my eyes.

Eager
to please, flattering

Frog

Come,
my dear - we'll sing together.

Polite,
hypocrite

Frog

We
must aim for better billing

You
still owe me sixty shillings.

Possessive,
witty, selfish

Frog

Brainless
bird - you're on the stage

Use
your wits and follow fashion.

Puff
your lungs out with your passion.

Arrogant,
overbearing, authoritative

Frog

…I
tried to teach her,

But
she was a stupid creature.

Deceitful,
arrogant, clever

Page No 93:

Question 7-(d):

Situations

The
practice session when it is raining.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, some
points that could be discussed in group activity together with
characters and situations in each case given here.

The nightingale
offers herself to be trained by this Mozart. It is the morning and it
is raining. Her ‘training’ starts. When she says that it
is not possible for her to sing in such weather, the frog offers to
sing with her. His training lasts for six hours and he makes her sing
from this tree to that tree physically exhausting her. The
nightingale shivers due to cold and her voice gets hoarse and
quivering.

Page No 93:

Question 7-(c):

Situations

The
nightingale is awestruck when the frog introduces himself.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, some
points that could be discussed in group activity together with
characters and situations in each case given here.

The nightingale is
awestruck when the frog introduces himself because she had never
anticipated such a varied view about her song. Strangely, the frog
introduces himself in a detailed manner emphasising the chauvinistic
and authoritative attitude. He tells her that he edits the Bog
Trumpet and writes songs for it also. Shallow people always succeed
in showing off their hollowness through hyperbolic overtones.

Page No 93:

Question 7-(b):

Situations

The
first time the Nightingale sings.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, some
points that could be discussed in group activity together with
characters and situations in each case given here.

When the nightingale
sings for the first time, the frog gapes with amazement. Other
creatures stare towards the sumac tree, fully charmed by the
melodious song of the nightingale. Ducks swim to her and herons wade
to her to hear her sing. When she stops singing they clap in
admiration:

Toads, teals, and
tiddlers call it Bravo!

Too divine, and
demand her to sing more.

Page No 93:

Question 7-(a):

Situations

The
efforts made by the other creatures of the bog to still the frog's
determination 'to display his heart's elation'.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, some
points that could be discussed in group activity together with
characters and situations in each case given here.

Other creatures hate
the croaking frog. They take recourse to stoning him, praying to him
to stop croaking and use sticks. However, the frog refuses to budge.
They also insult him publicly, complain against him or throw stones
at him. Still, everything is futile to silence him.

Page No 93:

Question 7-(e):

Situations

The
nightingale is reprimanded by the frog when the box office crashes.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, some
points that could be discussed in group activity together with
characters and situations in each case given here.

The
nightingale becomes a huge sensation. Creatures from far and wide
crowd the place to hear her sing. The frog charges admission fee and
earns huge money. A large number of titled gentry crowd the place.
However, such a thing never remains permanent.

Soon
the nightingale fails to earn money for the frog. He calls her to
give the audience ‘something sharper, snappier’ and add
some frills. However, the nightingale can’t continue serenading
for long. Her voice zips and trills and the ticket office crashes.

The frog gets very
upset with the nightingale and calls her ‘brainless’ and
asks her to puff her lungs in passion. However, he has drained her
energy. Weeping and trembling she puffs up to sing and dies.

The reaction of the
frog was such that he called her stupid, too prone to influence. He
leaves no alibi to be responsible for her death- a crafty and wicked
being.

Page No 93:

Question 8-(1):

The
frog's aim was to

(a)
make the nightingale a sensation

(b)
make the nightingale as good a singer as him

(c)
maintain his supremacy in the bog

(d)
make a lot of money

Answer:

(c)
maintain his supremacy in the bog

Page No 93:

Question 8-(2):

The
animals reacted to the nightingale's song with

(a)
hatred

(b)
admiration

(c)
indifference

(d)
suggestions for improvement

Answer:

(b)
admiration

Page No 93:

Question 8-(3):

The
nightingale accepted the frog's tutelage as she

(a)
was not confident of herself

(b)
wanted to become as good a singer as the frog

(c)
wanted to become a professional singer

(d)
was not a resident of Bingle Bog

Answer:

(c)
wanted to become a professional singer

Page No 94:

Question 9-(i):

Day
by day the nightingale

Grew
more sorrowful and pale.

Night
on night her tired song

Zipped
and trilled and bounced along,

Till
the birds and beasts grew tired

At
a voice so uninspired

And
the ticket office gross

Crashed,
and she grew more morose -

For
her ears were now addicted

To
applause quite unrestricted,

And
to sing into the night

All
alone gave no delight.

The
nightingale was sorrowful and pale because

1.
she had been practicing in the rain

2.
she had been performing all night

3.
she was losing confidence in herself

4.
she was falling ill

Answer:

2.
she had been performing all night

Page No 94:

Question 9-(ii):

Day
by day the nightingale

Grew
more sorrowful and pale.

Night
on night her tired song

Zipped
and trilled and bounced along,

Till
the birds and beasts grew tired

At
a voice so uninspired

And
the ticket office gross

Crashed,
and she grew more morose -

For
her ears were now addicted

To
applause quite unrestricted,

And
to sing into the night

All
alone gave no delight.

The
audience was tired of her song because

1.
they had heard it many times

2.
it had become mechanical

3.
she looked tired

4.
she had added trill to her song

Answer:

2.
it had become mechanical

Page No 94:

Question 9-(iii):

Day
by day the nightingale

Grew
more sorrowful and pale.

Night
on night her tired song

Zipped
and trilled and bounced along,

Till
the birds and beasts grew tired

At
a voice so uninspired

And
the ticket office gross

Crashed,
and she grew more morose -

For
her ears were now addicted

To
applause quite unrestricted,

And
to sing into the night

All
alone gave no delight.

She
no longer enjoyed singing alone as

1.
she wanted to sing only for titled crowd

2.
she was now used to the appreciation she got

3.
the frog was no longer with her

4.
she had become proud of herself

Answer:

2.
she was now used to the appreciation she got

Page No 94:

Question 10-(a):

How
did the creatures of Bingle bog react to the nightingale's singing?

Answer:

The
creatures of Bingle Bog favoured the nightingale’s songs to a
great extent. In fact, they gathered in crowds to hear the
nightingale sing. Animals and birds, from far and wide, came to hear
her sing her melodious songs.

Page No 94:

Question 10-(b):

Which
are the different ways in which the frog asserts his importance?

Answer:

The
frog asserts his importance in the form of a musician as well as that
of a critic of art. He flaunts his reign, and thus, power and
supremacy in Bingle Bog. He also asserts himself as a trainer and
asks the nightingale to take training from him.

Page No 94:

Question 10-(c):

Why is the frog's joy both sweet and bitter?

Answer:

The joy of the frog was sweet as the nightingale could gather so many people to attend her concert. The more the audience, the more would be the earning, which the nightingale was bound to pay to the frog as tuition fees. Moreover, he was happy that he succeeds in torturing the bird and pushing her towards death. However, it was bitter as he knew deep within his heart that the nightingale's talent surpassed his own and thus, nobody as great as the present audience had ever come to hear him from far and wide. It was pure jealousy.

Page No 94:

Question 10-(d):

Why
was the frog angry?

Answer:

The
frog was angry because the nightingale didn’t sing sweetly to
enable him to earn more. Secondly, her voice was becoming
‘uninspired’ as her song now zipped, trilled and bounced
along.

Page No 94:

Question 10-(e):

How
did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again?

Answer:

The
frog became the unrivalled king of Bingle Bog, after the death of the
nightingale. Now no bird or animal would compete with the frog in
singing. Secondly, all of them over there were greatly scared of him.

Page No 95:

Question 13:

The
nightingale has scaled the heights of success. But now the audience
is dwindling, the frog is unhappy and reprimands her all the time.
She is mentally and physically exhausted and fears failure. As the
nightingale, write a diary entry highlighting her fears and analyzing
the reasons for her failure.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, a sample solution has been
provided for your reference.

12th
Dec.2012

I still remember
the day the frog came up to me and said those sweet words. I was such
a fool to not to realize his pretence, my submissive nature making me
feel so. The frog is such a big fake and I, being timid and foolish,
believed him.

Now,
I notice I can’t sing as melodiously as I used to sing before.
The witty frog charged fee and earned a lot. He compelled and
threatened me to sing for hours, which ruined my melodious voice. He
tortured me in the name of training and now I realize it was not
training but his plot to kill me gradually due to exertion. Now,
death seems to be knocking at the door.

Today,
I can’t sing as the frog desires me to, and I am physically
exhausted. It was foolish of me not to have doubted the frog’s
integrity. Thus, he took undue advantage of my innocence and led me
to my own death. I have come to terms with what might happen to me
soon. Thus, peacefully, I embrace death, which is inevitable. I want
to pass on the message that we should never believe or have faith in
others, blindly.

Page No 95:

Question 11-(a):

Bring out the irony in the frog's statement - 'Your song must be your own'.

Answer:

The frog tells the nightingale that her song must be her own while he himself does not let her use her skill and talent in this field. He has restricted her entire freedom. Here lies the irony of the statement. In the beginning when the nightingale confesses that her song was original, he immediately demeans her and tells her that it was nothing to boast about. Then after killing the nightingale, the frog puts the blame on the nightingale saying that she should have been original.

Page No 95:

Question 11-(b):

Do you think the end
is justified?

Answer:

The end faced by the
innocent nightingale is pitiful yet justified. It portrays the truth
where evil people have an upper-hand over the innocent ones. Thus, it
is natural that the ‘innocence’ of the nightingale is
killed by the ‘cruel and crafty designs’ of evil
symbolised by the frog.

Page No 95:

Question 11-(c):

Do you think the
nightingale is 'brainless'? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer:

The poem justifies
the fact that the nightingale is brainless because she doesn’t
see into the things. She is innocent, gullible and credulous to the
extent that she believes whatever the frog says. She should have been
more careful, vigilant and should have had the ability to see beyond
what the frog tells her.

Page No 95:

Question 11-(d):

Inspite of having a
melodious voice and being a crowd puller, the nightingale turns out
to be a loser and dies. How far is she responsible for her own
downfall?

Answer:

The nightingale is,
herself, responsible for her own downfall. She doesn’t use her
capability to judge and evaluate sweet-tongued people. That why she
is killed by the evil designs of the frog who ploys her to her death.

Page No 95:

Question 11-(e):

Do you agree with the Frog's inference of the Nightingale's character? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer:

Yes, I agree with the frog’s notion of the Nightingale’s character. Being flattered and submissive and timid, she invited her own death upon herself. She should have been able to see through the frog’s plots and reverted accordingly. However, her innocence didn’t allow her to evaluate the frog’s tricks.

Page No 95:

Question 12:

The
Frog and the nightingale is a spoof on the present society. Study the
Mind Map given below. Divide yourselves into groups, select a box and
discuss the statement given. Then present your views to the class.

CLASS
DISCUSSION

How
a person tries to put down another when that perosn is succeeding in
his or her life.

Our
self-image is often based on what others make us believe we are. A
poor self-image can do irrepairable damage to us. Do you agree with
this statement? Elaborate with suitable reasons and exmples.

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, some
points that could be discussed in each case are given here.

1.
Shallow thinking patterns are basically those patterns which dwell
mainly on one’s selfishness and self-interests. These
selfishness and self-interests are basically materialistic and
harmful. Since these are born merely out of jealousy and ill-will,
these produce fickle-mindedness in people, who don’t have a
spine and follow the mob-mentality. They lack human virtues like
fidelity, honesty and integrity.

2.
Fickle-minded people have no locus stand of their own. They are
people who pose as someone different than who they actually are. They
are a horde of brainless persons with a limited thinking. These
persons are very dangerous as their sole aim is to harbor damage to
the progressive ones.

3.
Materialistic society or materialism are the by-products of
fickle-minded people and of those people who have a shallow thinking.
People gaining pleasure from luxury and materialistic aspects of life
are always showy and pompous and have nothing to do with aesthetic or
human virtues. They know only the mathematics of amassing
materialistic things and evaluating things in the name of buying and
purchasing. The virtues that lie at the roots of a good person or a
good thing are unknown to them.

4.
Such materialistic persons have their eyes on success by hook or
crook. They tend to use foul plays to attain success. They succeed
temporarily but ultimately they face downfall.

For
instance, the frog has the aim to earn money through the nightingale.
He earns money but the time span is very temporary. His crooked plans
succeed but partially. So materialistic people succeed, but not
always.

5.
If such persons are behind the art, art tends to be commercialised.
The frog commercialises the art of singing of the nightingale. He
treats the nightingale as a hen that lays golden eggs. However, this
doesn’t go on for long. So, if art is in hands of the people
like the sly and wicked frog, God save us. True art doesn’t lie
in material terms but it is deeply connected with the aesthetic
qualities of men. If it is balanced with materialism it ceases to be
true Art.

CLASS
DISCUSSION

Yes,
I totally agree with that our image can do irreparable damage to us.
A poor self-image always means loss of self-esteem. Low self
confidence and over self confidence are both bad, because they don’t
allow one to face with the harsh, bitter realities of life. Our
progress might disturb people around us. So they may try to let us go
astray by their sweet talks. Nevertheless, in reality, their envy
might damage the other person. We must have the ability to evaluate
people’s hypocritical advice or interpretation. Flattery is
another tool to damage us. However, one should always remember the
fact that all that glitters is not gold. If the nightingale had
understood and evaluated the frog’s ‘sweet’ talks,
she shouldn’t have succumbed to these.

Page No 95:

Question 14:

Write
an obituary for the nightingale. You may begin like this: May the
kind soul……… (or you may make use of your own
beginning)

Answer:

Note:This
question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding,
experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare
the solution on your own. However, a sample solution has been
provided for your reference.

May
the kind and innocent soul of the Nightingale rest in peace! The
nightingale was very innocent, timid, simple and compassionate. She
was the symbol of human values. She was very virtuous. Her absence
among us can be felt all the time. She bore evil towards none but had
to pay the price of being innocent, submissive, simple-hearted and
credulous. The death of the Nightingale teaches us that one must look
out and be vigilant against sweet-tongued people, who turn friendly
instantly. We must all learn something from the sacrifice of the
Nightingale. We must shun the people having the qualities of the
frog.